Question

Why is water considered a compound?

Answer 1

Hint: A chemical compound can be referred to as a chemical substance that consists of two or more different elements bonded through electronic bonds, with a fixed ratio that determines its composition.

Complete step by step answer:
In water, two different elements combine together to form a single molecule. The elements are hydrogen and oxygen. The composition of water can be given as \[{H_2}O\] in which two hydrogens combine with one oxygen atom in the ratio \[2:1\] to produce one molecule of water.
In the laboratory the water is synthesis as follows:
$2{H_2}(g) + {O_2}(g)\xrightarrow{{}}2{H_2}O(g)$
Practically to generate two molecules of water, two molecules of diatomic hydrogen (\[{H_2}\]) react with one molecule of diatomic oxygen (\[{O_2}\]). Energy will be released in the process. This reaction generally occurs in fuel cells.
This reaction can be called an oxidation-reduction reaction. The hydrogen atoms lose electrons through a process of oxidation and the oxygen atoms gain electrons through a process of reduction.
Thus water is formed by electronic bonds and it was found that the bonds are polar in nature and are purely covalent in nature. The ability to form intermolecular hydrogen bonds makes water a very useful compound in chemistry. It can dissolve a wide range of compounds by making electrostatic and covalent bonds.
The \[O\] in water molecule carries two electron pairs and can associate with another water molecule which leads to the formation of ice on freezing. In organic chemistry, it is used as an environmentally friendly solvent. Water can coordinate with several types of organic and inorganic compounds viz. acids, alcohols, etc.

Note:
Water molecules are held together by strong adhesive forces which make its boiling point to get higher. The intermolecular hydrogen bonds require higher energy of activation to dissociate water molecules. Water did not produce hydrogen and oxygen on dissociating but generated hydrogen and hydroxide ions.